Animals and Sleep

Humans aren’t the only ones who need sleep. “Every animal, without exception, exhibits at least a primitive form of sleep” (Finkel, 56). Dolphins, for example, sleep using only half their brain at a time. By having one hemisphere of their brain active while the other hemisphere rests they can swim continuously.

Perhaps more familiar to many pet owners is the behavior of their dog or cat. Dogs, on average, sleep anywhere from 12 to 14 hours a day whereas housecats have been known to sleep from 12 to 16 hours.

This is no match for the ferret, however, which sleeps from 14 to 18 hours a day. Little brown bats can top that though as they have been known to lay about for up to 20 hours. Aside from bats that can nap upside down, there are birds capable of flying and napping at the same time. While it is unknown if all birds are capable of this, great frigate birds have been observed dozing while gliding (Finkel, 56).

To compare, humans sleep an average of 8 hours a day. While we can’t nap and travel like birds or dolphins, some of us are capable of sleep walking. Whatever unique sleep behaviors are out there, we hope you receive the right amount of sleep you need! If your nightly routine involves counting sheep, give a Wolf mattress a try and, “Quit Counting Sheep…Sleep with a Wolf!”